CATCH THE TALENTED ARTIST AT HIS LATEST EXHIBITION, WHICH WILL FEATURE MERCHANDISE INCLUDING THE “TREAL TOONZ” ARTWORK.

UNLIMITED TALENT: JaFleu, a self-taught artist whose creations are vivid, bold depictions of black life, is exhibiting his latest work on July 5.

Staff Report

Jason “JaFleu” Fleaurant refuses to keep his art to himself. In addition to exhibiting his masterful work as often as he can, the self-taught artist also teaches young black children to use their minds and to be creative.

He told the South Florida Times in a 2014 interview that his message to his young charges is, “We have minds, and I want you to use your mind and dig deep and find that thing in you because it’s amazing.”

He taps into the notion of self-fulfilling prophecies, but in a positive way. “If you keep telling people that they’re royalty, they’ll believe it. And then they act as if. Same thing with creativity, show them that they have that in them and then they use it,” he said of his efforts to help his students to express themselves.

The Haitian-American has morphed his prolific work into a line of merchandise that includes bookbags, mugs, stools and more. He continues to create original watercolor Illustrations/acrylic paintings, sculptures and drawings, now basing much of his creations on his Treal Toonz comic book characters, children’s books, comic book panels & more.

Kid sized houses, jazzed up JaFleu style, were displayed during a recent night of revelry on Clematis in West Palm Beach. “Thinking to myself, I don’t know what I’m doing but then just trusting The Most High, Ancestors and Spirits to just use me to do it,” JaFleu said as he began creating the pieces to be shared at the popular event.

JaFleu’s work from his Treal Toonz collection will be on display beginning on July 5, running through July 31 at Harold’s Coffee Lounge, 509 Northwood Rd. in West Palm Beach. All of the proceeds from three specially created Treal Toonz paintings will be donated to Watch Kidz, an organization with a mission to partner with local orphanages and schools in Haiti and help them with meeting their essential needs.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Opening Reception of JaFleu’s Treal Toonz exhibit

WHERE: Harold’s Coffee Lounge, 509 Northwood Rd., West Palm Beach, FL

WHEN: Thursday, July 5, 7:30 to 10 pm. COST: : Free

CONTACT: For more information, visit www.trealtoonz.com